Liquid ejecting apparatus

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head, a carriage carrying the liquid ejecting head, a plurality of subtanks carried on the carriage, a main tank disposed on a body of the apparatus, and a feed pipe. The carriage is moved back and forth in a main scanning direction. Each subtank contains a highly concentrated color ink which corresponds to one of the respective ink colors. The main tank contains a diluent containing no coloring component and/or a colorless ink. The diluent and/or the colorless ink is supplied from the main tank to the carriage through the feed pipe. The liquid ejecting head is supplied with the respective color inks and ejects the inks.

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 a liquid ejecting head; 
 a carriage carrying the liquid ejecting head, the carriage being moved back and forth in a main scanning direction; 
 a plurality of subtanks carried on the carriage, each subtank receiving a highly concentrated color ink, the subtanks corresponding to respective ink colors; 
 a single main tank disposed on a body of the apparatus, the main tank containing a diluent containing no coloring component and/or a colorless ink; and 
 a single feed pipe through which the diluent and/or the colorless ink is supplied from the single main tank to the carriage carrying the subtanks, such that the diluent and/or colorless ink from the single main tank is mixed at the carriage with the highly concentrated color ink in each of the plurality of subtanks, 
 the liquid ejecting head being supplied with the respective color inks and ejecting the inks. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the diluent and/or the colorless ink is supplied from the outlet of the feed pipe to the respective subtanks in the carriage. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of branch pipes extending from the feed pipe and connecting to the respective subtanks corresponding to the respective ink colors, wherein 
 the subtanks, the branch pipes, and the plurality of ink cartridges containing the highly concentrated color inks are arranged in the carriage. 
 
     
     
       4. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 a liquid ejecting head; 
 a carriage carrying the liquid ejecting head, the carriage being configured to move back and forth in a main scanning direction; 
 a plurality of subtanks carried on the carriage, each subtank being configured to receive a highly concentrated color ink, the subtanks corresponding to respective ink colors; 
 a single main tank disposed on a body of the apparatus, the main tank containing a diluent with no coloring component and/or a colorless ink; and 
 a single feed pipe through which the diluent and/or the colorless ink can be supplied from the main tank to the carriage carrying the subtanks, 
 a plurality of branch pipes extending from the feed pipe and connecting to the respective subtanks corresponding to the respective ink colors, such that the liquid ejecting head can receive the diluent and/or colorless ink from the main tank and mix the diluent or colorless ink at the carriage with the highly concentrated color ink in each of the plurality of subtanks and eject the respective color inks. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the subtanks, the branch pipes, and the plurality of ink cartridges containing the highly concentrated color inks are arranged in the carriage. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the outlet of the feed pipe is capable of supplying the diluent and/or the colorless ink to the respective subtanks in the carriage. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the respective subtanks in the carriage are configured to combine the highly concentrated color ink is with the diluent and/or colorless ink. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a series of flow controlling units for supplying the diluent and/or colorless ink from the branch pipes into the subtanks. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the flow controlling units comprises a flow sensor and sealing valve.